Author
Topic: feeders (Read 11242 times)

The problem I have with the inverted-jar type feeder is that the sugar comes out of solution and ends up plugging the holes. I've tried boiling the syrup beyond the point where all the sugar dissolves, and invariably, after a cold night, the holes gum up.

Any suggestions?

-- Kris

I have been having the same problem

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"Lurch my good man,â€¦what did you mean when you said just now that 'You've got better things to do than run my petty little errands'â€¦â€¦.?"

Anonymous

Here is how I modified My frame feeders the first time. I don't use them much any more since I found the pickle jars work so much better with a 1/16th inch hole drill ed in the lid twice. I also run the suyrp thru a blender befor putting it in the jars so all the sugar gets desolved and mixed in really good, I have no problem then.

I latter used small blocks of wood screwed in place rather than the wire ties to stop the spreading of the frame feeder. Ya I have heard all the don't use them stuff because they take up the room of a brood or honey frame. Not if you place them inside an empty box above just as a empty box is above/around the pickle jar. I feel the best time to use them though is in the spring when the girls have broken cluster once and for all.

Anonymous

My frame feeders were modified with screen hot glued up the sides and ends. There were also in the beginning wire ties to keep them from bulging and a float with holes drilled in them for the girls to land/stand on while getting their fill. So for me drowning was very little since they had a place to feed from and the screen to crawl out of them.Yes in colder months you do loose a frame if you install the feeders in the main hive. Once it was warm enough during the day but nothing around for the girls to gather I placed two frame feeders inside a box with insulation 4"thick on each side. The feeders hold a gallon and it depends on how much the girls are feeding as to how often you need to fill them.

Will some one PLEASE tell me about the system that robo uses. I like the jar and super idea but no one will give me any info on it. I was wandering if it makes a large mess, about how often do you have to re fill it, and if it water logs the wood super. Thanks to who ever can give me this info, bye

It is old trick. Take a glass container and a food plate. Put water in the container and a plate onto the mouth. When you twist that upsides down , water is locked inside.

Put the system on the tabel. Put 3 sticks between container and plate. It comes some water on plate and bubbles go into container.

When bees absorb sugar solution, liquid takes air bubbles and solution stays at same level.

Box enclose bees and system inside, and robbers cannot come to take liquid. Also warm stays inside.

In Finland professionals use same trick. They take a 10 liter plastic bucket, cover on and they make little holes into the cover. That system upside down, and liquid stays inside. When bees take liguid from holes, bucket takes air bubbles.

The cost of system is 2 euros. It needs a Langstroth box to enclose the system. I have used it, but I do not like it. Not handy.

Surely old fashion...

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Anonymous

The way I use the gallon jars from the pizza place is.(1 clean them.(2 drill two 1/16 holes in the lid about and inch apart (I drill them in line toward the center and mark the direction with a sharpie so I can look thru the bottom when placeing them over the intercover hole.(3 fill with suyrp mix (spring 1:1 or fall 2:1).(4 remove outer cover invert jar and place lid side down with holes over intercover hole.(5 since the jars are a bit taller than one deep (9 5/8") I use two supers (6 5/8") to surround the jars, then replace the outercover.They will not mold the intercover as the holes do not leak on the wood. How often you have to fill them depends on how fast the bees take the suyrp. Perhaps one hive will go thru a gallon a week because they are stronger. Perhaps the next hive uses one gallon every two weeks because they are not as strong. :lol: :lol: Best of all you can get the jars free at most pizza places just for the asking and a thank you.They now call me when they have four empty ones and they clean them for me. Yes I also buy a pizza once in a while from them. :D Al

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Anonymous

to keep 2-1 sugar from plugging the feeder holes start with boiling water. add sugar and LOWER the heat. don't boil after the sugar is added. you will super saturate the solution by boiling off too much water. use just enough heat to mix sugar completely. when mix is clear i jar it and cool in a cold water bath. if you still have problems add more water to your mix.